


Better Off Just Following Your Footsteps On

by Snow



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Community: thegameison_sh, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-24
Updated: 2010-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-14 08:21:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/147263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Space AU of John's first meeting with Mycroft.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Off Just Following Your Footsteps On

John was in the middle of taking a step to follow Sherlock into the suspect's house, when he's not there anymore. He recognizes the unmistakable tingle of the transporter beam, and it has him instantly on guard, soldier's instincts telling him to fake disorientation.

It doesn't take much effort to blink blearily at the spaceship he's on. It's sleek and undeniably some government issue, even if John can't tell which government. That is, he suspects, the point with this kind of vehicle. He wonders if Sherlock will be able to deduce where he's gone, or if he's made enough of an impression that the other man will miss him.

"Please don't be alarmed," says a calm, female voice in a British accent that means nothing, as John's learned.

"Not alarmed," he replies. "Confused. Where am I?" He could take her out in an instant, but knowing that he can do it doesn't mean it's the right thing for the moment.

"My boss will be with you in just a moment."

That sounds ominous. "Oh." John checks his communicator, surprised to find it still fully functional, but the woman is at his side before he has the chance to send a message to Sherlock.

"Would you care for a cup of tea while you wait?"

John is suddenly not sure what he would say to Sherlock. Being offered tea, even if the chances of it being poisoned are high, isn't the sort of thing foreign governments do, in his past experience. "No thank you," John says, because he sees no reason not to be polite. Also, she's very cute. "I'm John."

She smiles back. "I know."

John supposes that's reasonable, given that he'd be alarmed if he'd been abducted off the middle of the street and she hadn't known his name, when a simple DNA scan gives that information to anyone who wants it. "Am I allowed to have your name?" he asks.

She gestures around the spaceship, like she thinks he should be asking where he is instead.

John shrugs. "I know full well that I wouldn't get an honest answer to that."

She laughs. "What makes you think you're going to get an honest answer to my name?"

"Optimism?" John tries.

"In that case it's...Anthea."

"Mmm hmm. Sure it is."

"An optimist, but not an idiot." A male voice joins the conversation. John turns to face him, as it only seems polite. "As your file indicates."

John laughs. "And who are you?"

"A friend of Sherlock's."

John lifts an eyebrow.

The man gives a short, artificial laugh, but he's clearly weighing John with his eyes, over the personal display unit he's holding. "Of course, you know him better than that by now."

John shrugs. "I actually don't. Looking forward to becoming his friend though, and then maybe I will."

The man examines his watch, a vintage 2035 silver with wooden decorations that John has only seen pictures of it in museums. There were fifteen of them made, the last genuine Swiss ones. He hands over a calling card, that probably gives me a direct line to his secretary's secretary, or maybe even to Anthea.

"Keep me informed on those developments?" the man says.

"I'd rather not."

The man shrugs. "Your loss. You could be compensated." He pulls his sleeve up again to show off his watch, clearly having noticed John's earlier regard.

"No thanks, if it's all the same to you. Even if it's not all the same to you."

"You're trusting me to return you to London."

"Of course I am," John says. "I'm no use to you here, and you're not likely to sway my opinion no matter what you do. You won't want Sherlock to be suspicious of my absence, would you?"

**Author's Note:**

> I welcome and appreciate comments, including constructive criticism.


End file.
